The following article is taken from Landry Family Genealogy.

According to Professor White, there is no specific documentation to show that the ancestors of the Acadian Landrys actually originated from LaChaussee. Even though it is known that a majority of the first colonists in Acadia came from Loundunais [Genevieve Massignon, in her linguistic analysis] and there were numerous Landrys in the vicinity of LaChaussee in the 17th century, there is no certainty that the Landrys to arrive in Acadia were from that area.

The task of establishing the progenitor of the Landry's of Acadia is problematical to say the least. Researchers have established that there were two Rene Landrys to settle early in Acadia. Some investigators have named one Rene Landry, native of LaChausee, as the founder of the clan in Acadia. He shows to be born ca 1618. He arrived ca 1640 and there married Perrine Bourg. The other Rene Landry shows to be born ca 1634, probably in Martiaze or Loudon, France. His parents are unknown. It is believed he married a Marie Bernard in 1659 while still in France. He arrived in Acadia that same year.

Some researchers have attempted to link the two Renes as father and son. Some Acadian records list them as Rene L'aine [the elder] and Rene le Jeunne [the younger]. However, that is questionable due to several facts. Rene L'aine was born in 1618 while Rene le Jeunne was born in 1634. If this is correct, there would only be 16 years difference between the two. However, Father Clarence d'Entremont, historian and genealogist from Novia Scotia, states

"I have an example in Acadia of a child when he was born had a father 15 years of age".

However, Rene L'aine arrived in Acadia ca 1640 whereas Rene le Jeune arrived in 1659, suggesting a seperation would have existed between the two. Father Archange Godbout [who was in his time one of the most outstanding genealogists in French Canada] in his "Dictionanaire des Acadiens" say plainly on page 423 that the second Rene Landry, born 1634, "came from France with his wife". [Venu de France avec sa femme, marie vers 1659 a Marie Bernard].

Robert C. West in his "Atlas of Louisiana Surnames of French and Spanish Origin" on p.9 and 12 states: Rene Landry, le jeunne, emigrated from France, with his wife Marie Bernard, to Acadie about 1659". Some researchers suggest that Rene le Jeunne married after arriving in Acadia. This is based on records "Rene De La Heve Landry (---de France) m. at Port Royal vers 1659 Marie Bernard (---de France)" found in the National Canadiens Francais , Vol. I-II, p.751.

Victor Landry claims that Rene Landry le Jeunne emigrated to Acadia in 1653 with a group that included Emmanuel Leborgne and Marie Bernard, who latter became Rene's wife. [Victor Landry...MY FAMILY-THE LANDRY GENEALOGY (as given by an older member of the family).] However, no documentation can be found to support this position.

Furthurmore, some researchers have shown Rene le Jeune to be the son of a Jean-Claude Landry and Marie Sale'. Writings in the publication" Familles Acadienne", Father Leopold Lanctot makes suggestions to the beginnings of the Landrys in the New World. He states

"It all began in the year 1640 when a group of 10 from the Landry family came to Acadia from France. The Landry family were originally from La Ventrouze, near Mortagne-au-Perche, Department of Orne, France. They were encouraged to come to Acadia by Marguerite Landry, daughter of Jean-Claude, and her husband Robert Martin. They had been in Acadia for several years.

The group of 10 consisted of Jean-Claude Landry, and three children from his first marriage; twin Rene (22) and Antoinette (22), and Perrine (29) with her first husband Jacques Joffriau. Also was Jean-Claude's wife by second marriage, Marie Sale'(40) and three children from her first marriage to Martin Aucoin. These children were Michelle (22), Francois (18), and Jeannne Aucoin (8). Also in the group was Rene (6), son of Jean-Claude and Marie. The group probably settled near the river Saint-John in the Cape Sable area. They later moved to Port Royal. Please note that there were two named Rene in this group; Rene (the elder) , son of Jean-Claude by his first marriage, and Rene (the younger), son of Jean-Claude and Marie. Rene (the elder) married Perrine Bourg in 1645."

This infomation was also found in the "Histoire et Geneologic des Acadians" by Arsenault on pp 623-624. "Jean-Claude Landry (born 1593) and Marie Sale' (born 1600), daughter of Jean Denys Sale' and Francoise Arnaud, were married in Orne Department, France, in 1633. This was a second marriage for both. One child was born from this marriage, Rene, born in 1634. Jean-Claude died in 1671 in Mortagne-Au-Perche, France.

The name of Marie Sale', age 86, appears in the 1686 Census of Acadia living with her son "Rene." This is somewhat based on the information obtained in the 1686 census where Marie Sale' (widow of Jean Claude) is shown residing next door to Rene Landry and beyond Rene's oldest son, Antoine. In discussing Marie Sale's relationship to Rene Landry, Father d'Entremont states the following:

"The listing of Marie Sale', age 86, in close proximity to Rene Landry and his family in the 1686 census, for some time caused confusion, amongst early genealogists, concerning the parents of Rene "le Jeune" Landry." Father d'Entremont continues "that Bona Arsenault, in his 1978 publication, p.624..footnote71, says that according to Father Godbout, Rene Landry [husband of Marie Bernard] would have had as a mother Marie Sale'.

This prompted a series of errors, one of which was to create a fictious Jean-Claude Landry, because Marie Sale' is said to be the widow of Jean Claude, who is in fact believed to have been a Micmac Indian. NOWHERE in any census or other documents is there to be found an Acadian by the name Jean-Claude Landry."

In a recent letter dated July 30, 1997, to Dr. Don Landry, Father d'Entremont reinforces this by the following "Jehan (or John) Claude was an indian, of the Micmac tribe. His name occurs twice in the Port Royal Church registers, ALWAYS as Jehan Clause, NEVER given as family name Landry. As a matter of fact, if "Clause" had not been his family name, it would mean that a register gives him his first and SECOND name. Moreover, the registers of old ALWAYS give the WHOLE name of persons; but the fact is that Jehan Clause has his name given thus, NEVER with another name added to those two. If the family name had been omitted in the registers, it would be the only time that such a thing occurs in any register. Thus CLAUDE was the family name.

I do not have Father Leopold Lanctot's work "Familles Acadiennes". But I have of him L'ACADIE DES ORIGINES-1603-1771. I just took it out of my library and all along the margin of the eight first chapters of this work, I have written (in the past) all along the margins FALSE and ERROR, etc. While reading it, I must have put the book aside after the 10th chapter on the account of the amount of errors I found in that book. I must say that in the work, he gives again, Landry as the family name of Jehan Clause. I must add that up to about 50 years ago, there were indians living in this vicinity of the Pubnicos. Some of these families had as a family name "Glaude". I always asked myself if this "Glaude" was not a corruption of "Clause" Father d'Entremont continues

"So, who was the father and mother of Rene Landry? I do not know nor does anybody know....Thus the descendants of Rene Landry....in my humble opinion, cannot go furthur up in genealogy on the Landry side, as we do not know who the parents of this Rene Landry were!"

Marie Bernard was born ca.1645 probably in Beauvoir-Sur-Mer, France. There is some question also as to who her parents were. There is considerable proof that her mother was "Marie" Andree Guyon (Guidon). Professor White in his "Dictionaire genealogique des families acadiennes, partie I (1636-1714) " states ....."Marie Bernard d/o (?? Bernard) & Andree Guion , born 1645". However, Bona Arcenault's "Histoire et genealogie des Acadians", Vol 2, p428-429, states that Marie Bernard's father was Andre Bernard:

ANDRE BERNARD, born 1620, Macon, originating in Beauvoir-sur-Mer, arrived in Acadia in 1641, "pour aller servir en l'habitation" for Charles de Latour, a Jemseg, on the river Saint-Jean in New Brunswick. He is the father of Jeanne, born 1643; Marie, born 1645; Nicholas, born 1662; and Rene, born 1663. "Apres la prise du fort de Jemseg par D'Aulnay", in 1645, he returned to France to return to Acadia "apres la rehabitation de Charles de LaTour, par la cour de France." According to footnotes on page 428, Andre Bernard "Lors de la prise du fort de Jemseg, par Charles d' Aulnay, gouverneur d'Acadia, le 17 avril 1645, plusieurs compagnons de Charles de LaTour, faits prisonnies, ont ete pendus sur place, apres deliberation du Conseil, pour servir d'exemple et de memoire a la poste-rite, d'une si obstinee rebellion. Andre Bernard est epargne et il en signe l'attestation, le 15 mai 1645. (Couillard, Charles de Saint-Etienne de La Tour, p.489).

Disputing the fact that Andre Bernard was Marie Bernard's father is the following from Bona Arcenaults publication quoting "Father Godbout indicates that the mother of the child Marie Bernard is Andree Guion. Her father is not Andre Bernard......."

Despite all the confusion to this point, it is agreed upon that Rene Landry le Jeunne and Marie Bernard were married and in Acadia in 1659. Together, they had fifteen (15) children, all born at Port Royal. They were Antoine, born 1660; Claude, 1663; Cecile, 1664; Jean, 1666; Rene, 1668; Marie, 1670; Marguerite, 1672; Germain, 1674; Jeanne, 1676; Abraham, 1678; Pierre, 1680; Catherine, 1682; Anne, 1684; Charles, 1688; and Isabelle, 1691.

Rene Landry died ca. 1692. In the 1714 census, it is indicated that Rene Landry died sometime before this census and his widow, Marie Bernard, was living in Port Royal with one of her sons. Marie Bernard died on January 11, 1719 as document by Winston DeVille's "Acadian Church Records" vol 4 p.124-125. He also makes reference in his writings that "On April1, 1718, Marie Bernard, widow of Rene Landry, baptised a baby because of the danger in transporting the infant in cold weather."

The Landry clan grew over the years and spread in various parts of Acadia. Before the Great Derangement, the Landry family was established at Port Royal, Grand Pre', Beaubassin, Chipoudie, Petcoudiac, Port-Toulouse, Royal Island, Port-Lajoye, and Isle St. John. Of particular  interest to the descendants of Rene Landry le Jeune, one Firmin Landry is of importance because he was the connecting factor between Acadia and Louisana. However, confusion and errors also exists around this Firmin Landry.

Bona Arcenault has made claim that Firmin was "probably" the son of Pierre Landry and Marguerite Forest in his publication "Histoire et Genealogie des Acadians" vol 6, page 2522 "Firmin Landry, born 1728 probably the son of Pierre and Marguerite Forest..." and in Vol 4 p.1406 "without doubt the son of Pierre and Marguerite....."

M.E."Mitch" Conover believes that Firmin was the son of Charles Landry and Marie Leblanc. He bases his believe on succession records in the St. Martinville Book of Original Acts whereby certain birth, baptismal and marriage certificates appear. John T. Harrell also believes that Firmin was the son of Charles and Marie. He bases his assumption on the close relationship of Marie LeBlance, widow of Charles Landry listed in the 1763 census of Oxford Maryland, placing Firmin Landry and Amant Landry among the known children of Charles Landry and Marie Leblanc. Firmin is later listed in the Attakapas census of 1777 as living next door to Amant Landry. Amant is later proven to be the son of Charles and Marie.

Many researchers believe that he was the son of Alexandre Landry and Ann Flan. This believe is based on Father Hebert's listings in his southwest Louisiana Records as follows: "Landry Firmin (Alexandre & ------, of Acadie) m. Theotiste Thiboudau....." (SM ch: v4, #231)(Hebert vol 1)

In a letter written to Dr. Donald Landry, Metairie, Louisiana, in response to a letter written about questions concerning Firmin Landry, Professor Stephen A. White states: "Regarding Firmin Landry, I am aware of the hypothesis that has recently been advanced to the effect that Firmin who married Francois Thibodeau and Theotiste Thibodeau was a son of Charles Landry and Marie Leblanc. The researchers who have reached this conclusion seem to have some reason for rejecting what appears to be recorded in Firmin's burial record at St.Martinville [SM ch: v4 #231] [4Feb. 1801 ag age 67 yrs] which according to Father Donald Hebert [Southwest Louisiana Records, vol 1, p.344] shows that Theotiste Thibodeau's husband was the son of Alexandre Landry. I do not know what their reason might be for this, and consequently I am not changed in my belief that Firmin Landry was the son of Alexandre Landry and Marguerite Blanchard. Insofar as I know, Marguerite Blanchard's husband was the only Alexandre Landry who was fathering children in Acadia around the time of Firmin Landry's birth. Please note that Alexandre Landry who married Anne Flan could not have been Firmin's father because he and Anne were only married in 1732."

To furthur support Professor White's opinion, the following is loosely translated from a Spanish document found in St. Martinville "1801-entry 231-Firmin Landry--Day four of February of the year eighteen hundred and one, I Don Miguel Berndo Barriere priest of this church of St. Martin of the juristiction of Atakapas, buried in the 5th camp of the referred church, the body of Firmin Landry adult of age sixty and days and six years, legitimate son of Alexandre Landry and of ----------, natural of the Acadia, which was married with Theotiste Thibodau, did not receive the sacrements (the last rites), for having died suddenly, did not give testament an ( ): For the record was signed by Migel Bernado Barriere, curator.

Based upon this information, the assumption must be made that Firmin was indeed the son of an Alexandre Landry. The question now is who are the parents of this Alexandre? Professor White states that Alexandre was the son of Germain Landry in this letter to B.R.Malkmus of Decatur, Alabama "Once we eliminate from consideration the Alexandre Landry who married Anne Flan, the only other Alexandre known who might have been Firmin's father was Germain's son. As it happens that Alexandre Landry's other children, including Genevieve, were all in Oxford, Maryland, in close proximity to Firmin. There is certainly a certain amount of plausability to the identification I have proposed."

Germain Landry was the son of Rene Landry and Marie Bernard. He was born in 1674 at Port Royal, Acadia. He married in 1694 Marie Melanson, the daughter of Pierre Melanson and Marie Mius d'Entremont.. Marie was born in 1673 at Grand Pre'. The family was established at St. Famillie Parish, Pisiguit. The census of 1717 shows them having 6 boys and 6 girls; Alexandre, Abraham, Germain, Paul, Pierre, Marie, Marguerite, a missing boy and a missing girl. Germain died after the census of 1714.

Now that some sort of ancestory has been established from Rene Landry to Firmin Landry, it is possible to move on with Firmin's history. He was born ca. 1728 in Pisiguit, married Francoise "Elizabeth" Thibodeau in 1752 at Pisiguit. They had issue of four children: Joseph, born 1753; Saturin, born 1755; Helene, born 1757; and Marie Madeleine, born 1759. He is remarried by 1770 to Theotiste "Sally" Thibodeaux, daughter of Charles Thibodeaux and Brigette Breaux. They have issue of ten children: Francoise (in memory of his first wife), born 1770; Hubert, 1773; Helene, 1774; Rosalie, 1776; Valentin, 1778; Marie, 1780; Alexandre, 1782; Agnes, 1784; Marguerite, 1789; and Madeleine.

Firmin was deported to Maryland in 1755 with his first wife Francoise Thibodeau and three children. Proof of that is found in the FRENCH PRESENCE IN MARYLAND, p.193 "Acadians in the 1763 census--Oxford". "Landry Firmin, Elizabeth his wife, Joseph and Saturin, Eleine and Magdeleine". In this record Francoise is called Elizabeth, but this is the only mention of her under that given name, and may simply be an error.

The Expulsion began sometime in November, 1755, when the village of Grand Pre, consisting to two parishes St. Charles at Riviere-Aux-Canards and St. Joseph at Grand Pre and little houses spread out for a mile and a half was burned to the ground. Of the 1600 people captured in that region, 178 were placed aboard the vessel Elizabeth and 242 aboard the Leopard, and were shipped to Maryland. These two vessels were joined by the Dolphin with 227 aboard and the Ranger with 323 aboard.

Not knowing what to do with them, a decision was made by the authorities, to send two of the ships to the Eastern shore and two were kept on the western side on Chesapeke Bay. After this, the Acadians were to be scattered throughout the colony, some to Oxford, which included Firmin and his family. A Maryland paper wrote at the time "Refugees, especially French Catholics without funds, found chilly reception here" and "Gruging charity cares for Acadian 'pests'. Because of the fierce winter storms, the Dolphin and the Ranger had to sail into the Boston Harbor and seek shelter for a number of days and finally reached Maryland on November 30, 1755, just as waives of Francophobia (English dislike for the French) and anti-Catholicism in the colonies had crested. Because of the dreadful overcrowding and the delay due to the storms, the ships supplies were depleted. The captain of the ships on December 8, 1755, unceremoniously dumped 181 Acadians, including Firmin and his family, on the warf, gruffly telling them he had no more provisions to give them, and as far as he was concerned, they could starve. He then sailed away leaving them amongst a population who hated everything they stood for. Rumors spread throughout the English colony of Oxford that the Catholic Acadians were plotting to stir up insurrection amongst the negro slaves, capture the colony and turn it over to the Catholic France. In the midst of all this, stood the Acadians. They were there through no fault of their own. Their only "crime" had been the refusal to take the oath of allegience to England.

The Acadians were quartered virually as prisoners, not to leave town without a written permit of the selectmen under penalty of five days in prison or ten lashes, they depended on the cold hand of the public for food, clothes, and lodging and were given some provisions. Governors of the colonies received the Acadians with varying degrees of hostility. While at Oxford, the Acadians petitioned the Maryland legislature for relief and on August 1756, at the Talbot County Court, a petition was presented "setting forth that Joseph Bujiale, Fermee and Charles Landree, French neutrals, have each three small children, the oldest of which is not over five years of age...that they cannot support their families, and can hardly get bread for themselves". The justices of the court allowed each 500 pounds of tobacco, then used as money in Maryland.

While in Maryland, the Acadians fell victim of malnutrition and disease. Between 1755 and 1763, the Acadian population in Maryland declined from 913 to 667! By the mid 1760's, the Acadians were anxious to leave Maryland and the native Marylanders were equally anxious to see them leave. In the late spring of 1765, one Landry (probably Joseph) addressed a petition to Governor Sharpe, on behalf of the Acadians in Maryland and Pennsylvania to be allowed to settle in Novia Scotia, either on the Bay of Gaspe or Chaleur. Frustrated in their attempts to resettle in Acadia, they requested settlement in Louisiana. Therefore, joined by the surviving Acadian relatives and friends in Pennsylvania, they pooled their resources, chartered ships, and made preparations to sail to Louisiana. However, it wasn't until March 1767 that departure actually took place.

The exact date that Firmin  left Maryland for Louisiana is unknown. Records show him still in Maryland on January 14, 1766, when he witnessed a wedding.  However, Firmin's first wife, Francoise, must have died prior to his leaving Maryland. Theotiste "Sally' Thibadeau, Firmin's second wife,  must have preceeded Firmin to Louisiana  because she arrived before the1766 census of the Acadian Coast in Louisiana where she is listed  as the widow Godin along with her 5 year old daughter Barbe. She had been married ca. 1757 to Bonaventure Godin. The date of Firmin's marriage to Thotiste is uncertain but it was prior to 1770 because he had a daughter named Francoise, "in memory of his first wife", born October 22, 1770 and  the mother is listed as Theotiste Thibodeau (SMCH: V1 p.20). Giving the announcement of Banns at the church, the time of search to make sure of their kindred, plus a nine month pregnancy, would indicate that they were married probably  in mid-to-late 1769. The earliest listing found of Firmin Landry in Louisiana is in the Brand Book at St. Martinville dated 1769, "Records of Attakapas District, Louisiana 1739-1811". Bona Arcenault shows on page 1063 of "Attakapas Et Opelousas" Firman appearing in the 1769 Opelousas Brand Book. Assuming that Firmin had to have been in Louisiana early enough to have developed a need to register his brand, one could say he arrived as early as late 1766 or 1767. On June 20, 1771, he is shown to receive a land grant in the Attakapas District [Land Records of the Attakapas District by Glen R. Conrad] which would have been on the upper Bayou Vermillion, near Grand Pointe. Later he obtained a smaller tract on the Teche at Fausse Pointe near present Loreauville.

There are lists that show when many Acadians from Maryland arrived in New Orleans, but Firmin Landry is not listed on any of them. "I beleive that Firmin Landry must have brought his family to Louisiana by ship, as there was no other practical method of making the trip at that time", Professor Stephan A. White.

Firmin's son Saturin apparently remained single, but his other son Joseph settled on Bayou Vermillion and became the progenitor of what is today's Landry clan in that area.